Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick's recent testimony to U.S. senators about his relationship with convicted child predator Jeffrey Epstein may have put his job in even greater danger, according to one Republican.
Semafor reported Tuesday that Lutnick's testimony before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies may have turned even more Republicans against him, while Democrats push for his resignation. One unnamed Republican senator told the outlet that Lutnick would likely be fired "if it were anybody but President Trump" in the White House.
"It’s despicable. And everyone knows it," the Republican told Semafor. "He looked at the American people and lied like a dog. And I suspect more is going to come out."
The anonymous senator went on to lament that his party was "going to lose the midterms," and that when Democrats took back one or both chambers of Congress, the calls for accountability would likely become deafening. The lawmaker called Trump's embattled Cabinet members "flippant that they think they’re always going to be in power," and warned Democrats may "come after Lutnick, Bondi, all of them" in 2027.
Another anonymous source Semafor described as "close to the White House" confided to the outlet that Epstein's failure to be forthcoming about his ties to Epstein — which include buying a business with him seven years after claiming to have cut ties with the convicted sex offender – could be what sends him "for the exits." The source added that Lutnick traveling to Epstein's notorious private island was "sort of the red line."
"[The Trump administration is] usually good at finding consolation prizes for the folks they vote off," the White House source said. "[It] depends how much of a headache it becomes — if every member on the Hill and every cabinet member keeps getting asked about [it]."
Despite the consternation from Congress, Trump has not yet signaled his plans to punish Lutnick. One unnamed senior White House advisor told Semafor that Trump has spoken with Lutnick on various topics, include U.S.-Canada trade relations. But his Epstein ties reportedly never came up in those conversations.
"The only opinion that matters is the opinion in the Oval Office, and he does not care," the advisor said. "[He] didn’t even bring it up once today."